Soda fountain beverage dispenser



May 2, 1951 L.. LloLlos ETAL 2,982,446

SODA FOUNTAIN BEVERAGE DISPENSER Filed Jan. 16, -1957 2 SheetsSheet 1 lll s 84 INVENToRs. '76 7 f7@ Leo L10I Har/Ow EAI/Shoa e L. LloLlos ET Al. 2,982,446

SODA FOUNTAIN BEVERAGE DISPENSER y 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 May 2, 1961 Filed Jan. 16, 1957 wir I l /Mz (NVENTORS. Leo Lio/los BY Harlow E AHlh/oye y United States i Patent 2,982,446 SODA FOUNTAIN BEVERAGE DISPENSER Leo Liolios and Harlow E. Allshouse, Chicago, Ill., asf

y signors to The Bastian-Blessing Company, Chicago, Ill.,

a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 634,472

7 Claims. (Cl. 222-145) This invention relates to carbonated and non-carbonated beverage dispensers and more particularly to a dispenser for providing either water or syrup or a mixture of both selectively, as well as insuring that no syrup will intermingle with the water whenit is desired to dispense plain or carbonated water alone.

Heretofore, a problem has existed resulting from the fact that after syrup has been dispensed and the syrup valve closed, a drop or so of syrup clings on the end of the stem through which the syrup has been dispensed. This drop of syrup is held there by surface tension and when water alone is drawn thereafter, the water owing down the dispensing nozzle sets up an aspiratory eliect creating a pressure diierential at the lower end of the stem .and not only picks up the drop clinging there but tends to draw additional syrup from the stem. The water does not ow smoothly down the inner wall of the collector nozzle but has a tendency to splash and thereby wash the syrup drop into the container being filled. This pressure differential and splashing is suicient to cause the syrup to entrain with the water and thereby contaminate the drink as far as a pure water drink is concerned.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a syrup iiow control or check which closes completely when the syrup valve closes thereby to seal off and stop -any syrup from leaking into the water during dispensing of the latter alone.

Another object is to provide a syrup flow check at the lower end of a syrup dispensing stem which is dimensioned in a manner adapted to reduce the clinging tendency of a drop of syrup on the bottom of the syrup dispensing stem and thereby cause it to release itself and fall immediately after the closure of the syrup dispensing valve so that it wi-ll not remainv to contaminate pure water when it is being dispensed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a syrup llow check which is constructed of a resilient material such as rubber and defines a self-closing mouth or valve having strength to close and remain closed against the forces exerted by said aspiratory elect mentioned above but not. against the force exerted by the flow of syrup when the syrup valve is opened to dispense syrup.

Another object of the invention is to provide a syrup dispensing nozzle having a check which is normally closed,but when opened by the force exerted by syrup being dispensed has strength enough to eject the syrup in a fan-shaped stream for its better mixing with carbonated water with the least amount of agitation of the carbonated water.

Another object of the invention is to provide a syrup check and proportional ow rate gauge combined therewith which will cooperate with the syrup check to afford accurate determination of the relative rate of iow of syrup and water.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gauge as described in which visual assessment of the relative proportion of syrup and water can be had without recourse to complex metering mechanisms such as vhave i.

will come apparent as the description proceeds in accordanceheretofore been required.

Other objects and advantages of the invention with the drawings in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view partly in section showing-l. the construction of a draft arm provided with a stem and syrup ilow check embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section showing the internal ar rangement of the nozzle;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken upon line 3-3 in Fig. l; t Fig. 4 is a side View partially in section;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the syrup llow check of,

the invention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the syrup ow checkt Fig. 7 is a front view of the same;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the syrup ilow check as used in conjunction with a proportional or ow rate gauge as constructed according to the invention; Y

Fig. 9 is a similar view of another embodiment of the same; and K Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken through "the,

1in@ 10-10 of Fig. s. y

Referring now to Fig. 1, a beverage dispenser or draft arm it) is shown adapted for use in dispensing selectively either a syrup or water or a mixed drink of syrup and water. Although plain water can be the water dispensed. -it will be noted that in the embodiment shown thel water to be dispensed is carbonated Water. The syrup check is equally Well adapted for use with both plain water and carbonated water dispensers, and, in order tosimplify the description water as used herein includes plain as well as carbonated water. Reference is made to the Mendonca No. 2,657,952, Stecgynski No. 2,056,-

986 and MacMahon No. 2,521,472 patents for auxiliary details and arrangement of parts in a soda fountain whichV are of interest. Y In the drawings, the draft arm goose neck 11 having an enlargedpbody portion 12 at its upper end which houses the various valve elements` for selectively controlling the llow of liquid and water.

A conduit (not shown) within the go'ose neck conducts;A water to a water passage 18 in the head portion. Whenrk the handle is in its upright or off position both passages are closed. When the handle 16 is movedto the leftas viewed in Fig. 4 from the oit position carbonated water -is supplied through conduit 18 to the recess 22 in the bottom of the body 12. Also when the handle 16 is moved to the letf as viewed in Fig. 4 from the ol posig tion syrup is supplied through passage 19 to the axial passage 21 in the bottom of the body. In only the forward position of the handle is the syrup passageway 0 having a passage 26a therethrough to be received in sealed relationship with the passage 21 by the joint made between the bottom of the-recess 22 and the upper shoulder of the radial flange 28 on the stern. Below the angc, the stem is cylindrical and smooth for a short distance as at 30. The stem below the cylindrical surface is externally threaded as at 31 and internally threaded at the lower end vat 32. Flats 33 upon the sides of the stem provide,

vOnce the stem is threaded into place upon the goose Patented May 2, 1961 10l comprises a curved,

neck body 12 a collar 40 is slipped upwardly into place having a flange 39 and seal 41 marginally on its upper surface engaging the body 12 in sealed relationship. As seen in Fig. 3 the center opening 32 of the collar is broached to accommodate guide lands 43 engaging the walls of the stem in guided relation and grooves 44 for the passage of the water. Below the opening 42, the collar umbrellas outwardly horizontally around the center opening 42 and downwardly to provide a limited control surface first upon a horizontal plane at 45, then along a frusto conical surface at 46 which terminates in a downwardly extending cylindrical Wall 47 defined by a circumferential flange 48. .v A

Below the collar 40 is provided an umbrella guide 50 telescoping on the stem 26 and nesting. within the c ollar with a clearance of .003 between the upper facethereof and the conical surface 46 of the collarto define anannular passage therebetween. Preferably this guide `50 is a sheet metal stamping of stainless steel dimpled upwardly at 51 at three places around the guide to providethe .003 clearance within very close tolerances, The apron 52 of the guide, however, extends below the flange 48 and curves outwardly below the flange as at 53.

The nozzle 25 also includes a collector. S4 preferably formed of plastic and threaded at its upper end for attachment at the bottom of the draft arm body 12 to include the parts just described. Its inner downwardly converging collecting surface 55 passes close to and below the lip of the outward curve 53 to receive the water therefrom in smooth gravity flow relationship. It is preferred to make the collector 54 of plastic material for it has been found that it conducts less heat from the room atmosphere to the chilled water and is less likely to be broken if struck by a glass. The inside wall 55 of the collector is preferably frusto-conical in shape, to define roughly an included apex angle of 25 so that the lower end passes close to the lower end of the stem 26 when the water washes past the outlet 36.

The guide 50 is preferably held in place by the assembly of a compression spring 57 and locknut 58. The locknut is received upon the threaded portion 31 of the stem, and when fully tightened, it positively holds the guide rigidly in place. However, the compression spring is received in a cavity 60 to `urge the guide 50 downwardly whenever a loosening of the locknut 58 permits the spring 547 to function. Thus, whenever the locknut is loosened manually as knurled at 62 for that purpose, the guide 50 is movedl down and held by the spring in the lowermost position permitted by the locknut. The eort of the spring is not heavy and its effect is relaxed completely upon a couple of untightening turns of the locknut.

The drawing is to scale and the outside diameter of the cylindrical portion 52 of the guide is 1%6. remaining dimensions are in proportion.

Assuming now, that syrup has been dispensed as described through the stem 26 and the valve 15 has been closed, a drop of syrup would normally remain or collect on the end of the stem, if it were bare, in position to be washed off by splashing of water passing through the collector 54, or by means of the previously mentioned aspiratory effect, which can create a pressure differential between the lower and upper sides of the drop sufficient to cause the drop to fall into the water being dispensed. Furthermore, upon the stem warming up to room ternperature over long periods of idleness, a pressure is created which exudes a slight amount of liquid syrup through the stem which, if it is allowed to remain, hardens and continually increases in length, until it is washed or drawn as a hardened material into the water when either the water or further syrup is again dispensed.

In order to remedy this difficulty, which produces contamination of the water and ingeneral is unsanitary because of the fact that the drop isa culture for various germs which may be in the atmosphere, a. syrup check 64A is provided which isdesirably formed" of a resilient,

TheV

rubber material and is tted'upon the lower knurler portion 32 of the stem 26, the said syrup check having an internal diameter which approximates or is slightly less than the external diameter of the portion 32.

As seen in Figs. 5 through 7, the syrup check 64 comprises a sleeve portion 66 defining therein a central, axial passage 68, and an outlet opening 70 closed by a pair of relatively wide, normally self-compressed lips 72 and 74 defining a relatively long slit 76 which opens into the axial bore upon substantial ow pressure being exerted upon liquid in the passage 68.

Because of the length of slit 76 and the movement of liquid flowing around the opening creating an aspirating effect, the syrup will be ejected as a flattened and fan shaped stream directed directly into the center of the surrounding flow of liquid and immediately mixing therewith.

Because the slot 76 is normally closed, and the lips` 72 and 74 are thin the check 64 defines a relatively edge-like end or periphery, which provides very little marginal support area to which the syrup can cling in proportion to the flow area or diameter ofthe stem itself. As best seen in Fig. 6, the slit 76 is defined by a relatively small vulcanized length of the pinched tubing designated by number 78 but in any case is dimensioned so as to permit a slight amount of wetness to be present at all times on the lips 72 and 74, from its environment or seepage from the stem. in a preferred embodiment, this is defined by a radius of 17132 of an inch. The slot widens immediately at the terminus of the bore 68 to define a base line 80 so that the moisture of the syrup will be spread out gradually in a film having a fan-shaped sector or delta configuration, so that it has an axial depth substantially less than its radial depth. However, this construction is effective to prevent an excessive accumulation of moisture at any given area and to prevent hardened granules from clogging or sealing the passageway. Also, the arcuate configuration of the outer portions of the lips 72 and 74 insures that there will be no points on which the syrup can form an icicle or stalactite. The inner surfaces thus are kept moist by a combination of capillary action and the aforementioned seepage duc to expansion of the warming up of the syrup without the formation of a drop as heretofore experienced, at least after the reduced area of the orifice has caused the terminal drop to fall harmlessly into the drain of the soda fountain conventionally located below the nozzle 25. The diameter of the sleeve 66 may be 7/32 of an inch, with its bore being "iz, while the overall length of the check may be in the neighborhood of 1/2 inch, with the pinched portion 78 providing an additional j/if; of an inch.

The sleeve 66 being ofgenerally cylindrical configura tion and as best seen in Fig. 6, the lips 72 and 74 being elongated and extending diametrically across the lower end of the sleeve and slightly beyond the vertical projection or periphery thereof as indicated by numerals 82 and 84 it will be appreciated that during the dispensing of syrup they lie deeper in the path of flow of water and with the flips forced open by the pressure of syrup being released Will form an elliptical fau-shaped cross-sectional configuration which thins the stream of syrup for the more ready penetration of water into and mixing with the syrup.

In manufacturing the syrup check of the invention, a length of hose 86 known as a rubber policeman isprovided as Shown in broken lines 88 in Fig. 5 having one end 90 beveled and flattened to the relatively greater width shown by the said numerals 82 and 84, andthe other end 92 cut away at 94 to define a shoulder which will fit snugly on surface 96 on the lower end 32 of the stem 26 above the castellated openings 437 thereof. However, the beveled end is first cut with special cutters to the desired tapered or curved configuration `shown to de fine a slot deep enough to fully open `tothe f ull :V32 off an inch corresponding to the" dimensionsfthe'br 68'.

Thereupon, the syrup check' 64 is positioned on the stem 26 with the "frictional engagement with outer surface 96 Vholding itsecurely in position.

The operation of the device will be readily appreciated from the foregoing description. When syrup is to be distributed, its release through stem 26 and ports 37 will serve to open the slit 76 to ow of the syrup down wardly as combined with water. As stated, however, the invention is not limited to use with a carbonated beverage dispenser. When the syrup has been dispensed, slit 76 will automatically return to its closed state to prevent further ow of Huid, and the drop of syrup which will remain at the lower end of the syrup check will fall from the narrow downwardly curved lower edge of the syrup check 64.

Y Referring now to Figs. 8-10, the syrup check 64 is seen in'conjunction with a gauge 100 especially constructed and dimensioned for use therewith. The gauge is useful in measuring and adjusting the proportions of water and syrup dispensed to assure that the ow rate proportions are relatively constant.

For the sake of completeness of illustration, the enlarged body portion 12a of a draft arm 10a, and its stem 120 as constructed for use in dispensing plain water are shown in Fig. 8, the stem having an externally threaded portion 104 upon which is removably secured the gauge 100, in relationship overlying the syrup check 64 which is received on a reduced portion 106 of the portion 104, as hereinafter described.

The enlarged body portion 12a is provided with a passage 14a for plain water and a passage 21a for syrup, iiow through to these passages being controlled by suitable valve means (see Fig. l). The passage 14a is connected to a recess 22a. in the bottom of the body 12a. The stem 120 comprises a collar 108 threaded at its upper end to be received in sealed relationship with the passage 21a by the joint made between the bottom of the recess 22a and the upper shoulder of the radial ange 110 of the collar. As shown in Fig. 10, the collar 108 deiines a cup 112 within which is received a ange seal 41a, as well as downwardly inclined passages 114 opening into an axial bore 116. A tube 118 is held centrally within the collar S and its bore 116 by means of the upper end 120 of the portion 104, which is enlarged and configured to threadedly engage the collar 108 and to define the lower end of the passage provided by the bore 116, as indicated at 122. The bore 116 opens downwardly into a bore 124 of relatively reduced diameter in which the tube 118 is snugly received, and held by the shoulder 126. The stem 120 also defines a passage of relatively narrow diameter 128 opening into the syrup check 64 and its central bore 68, so that syrup being dispensed can proceed uninterruptedly fromV the passage 21a to the syrup check as hereinbefore described. a

Carbonation control is not needed in the plain water example now being described, and laterally extending ports 130 interconnect the bore 116 and collector 54a so that water supplied through passage 14a emanates directly from the passage dened by bores 116 and 122, into the collector 54a.. The radially extending passages 130 are preferably spaced a predetermined distance downwardly from a pressure equalization aperture 132 in the collector 54a so as not to splash therethrough. The collector 54a is again preferably formed of a plastic material and has the frusto-conical inside wall 55a inclined downwardly at substantially 25 to a vertical axis.

The assembly of the draft arm and nozzle will be readily understood from the foregoing description. The collar 108 may be threadedly secured to the body 12a, and the stem 120 thereupon secured to the collar with the tube 118 in place as described thereupon, and after the syrup check 64 has been placed on the stem, the collector 54a may be threaded onto the body 12a.

In order to permit determination of the proportional rate of flow as between syrup and water, in accordance with predetermined mixture requirements for the best taste of a beverage',` a syrup and water Separator 100 is provided, and comprises a straight tube 134 mounted over the syrup check 64, the inner diameter of the tube rapproximating or being slightly less than the external diameter of the sleeve 66 of the syrup check, and a relatively wide tube cooperating with the collector 54a and receiving the tube 134 axially therein at its upper end. The wide tube has a predetermined bend at its lower end suficient to perfit the straight tube 134 to pass through a wall thereof at a point above its lower end, the tube 136 being secured to the tube 134 by welding 138 or other suitable means.

The external diameter of the tube 134 and the internal diameter of the lower end of the collector 54a are such as to define an annular opening 140 for the water suiciently large to permit continual emptying of the collecv through despite the fact that at the point of junctureof tube 134 and 136, tube 134 obstructs the path of iiow' at one side of tube 136.

A syrup ratio graduate 142 is provided for the sepa` rator which desirably has compartments 144 and 146 of relative cross-sectional area equal to a predetermined desirable relative proportional flow of syrup' and water, respectively, so that if one or the other compartment lls faster, a variation in the most desirable mix-` ture of syrup to water can be immediately detected,- However, the compartments 144 and 146 may be provided with suitable indicia representing other desirable mixture ratios, in which case the predetermined relative cross-sectional areas could be other than as described. When the graduate 142 is positioned below the separator 100 as shown, operation of the draft arm substantially as hereinbefore described will serve to provide the test of the flow rate referred to.

In the embodiment of Fig. 8, the tube 134 is secured to the portion 104 by means of a threaded configuration on the portion and the tube respectively, and the root diameter of the threads on the portion 104 will therefore approximate the external diameter of the syrup check 64. However, it is possible to eliminate such threading by means ofthe' embodiment of Fig. 9, so that the stem 104a may be of shorter length than stem 104 by the dimensions represented bythe axial length required for threading.

Because the internal diameter of tube 134a is slightly' less than the external diameter of the sleeve 66 of the syrup check 64, the tube 134a may be slid snugly on, preferably with a slight rotary motion, and the entire gauge 100a will then be in readiness for use. Desirably, however, the tightness of fit between the portion 104a and the syrup check sleeve 66 exceeds that between the sleeve and the tube 134a, so that the tube and gauge may be readily removed without displacement of the check valve. The portion 104a may also be knurled, although this construction is not believed necessary because the sleeve 66Y will naturally tend to engage the end of 104a more tightly than the tube 134a engages the sleeve, as a result of the fact that the bore 68 of the sleeve is smaller than the stem 104a as hereinbefore described. The dual function of the syrup check, in assuring continuous tiow rate of syrup and permitting easy and reliable fastening of the proportional tlow rate gauge to the dispenser, thus forms an important part of the present invention.

Although I have herein set forth and described my invention with respect to certain principles and details thereof, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that these may be varied without departing from the spirit 7 and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereunto appended claims.

We claim: Y

l. In a draft arm nozzle, a syrup check operable in a flow of liquid andV comprising a resilient sleeve a pair of downwardly arched lips normally self-compressed in contact with each other over a` substantial area to maintain a condition of moisture between them without leakage, said lips having an external convex line of configuration externally washed by said liquid and relatively planar area of mutual Contact terminating in an internal line of configuration spaced from the convex line of configuration openingY into said sleeve to define a delta-shaped slot between said lines whose widest separation is substantially the depth of convexity of said external convex line of configuration portion, said check having the characteristic of opening under a predetermined pressure of syrup and of closing when such pressure is substantially reduced, ejecting syrup in a fan shaped spray into a fiow of liquid when opened and resiliently closing when syrup is not being dispensed therethrough to drain syrup left therein to the lowest point of the downwardly arched lips to form a drop with insufiicient area to support the drop against gravity thereby assuring the purity of the flow of liquid when syrup is not being dispensed, and said check having the orifice thereof substantially centered in the orifice of said nozzle.

2. In a draft arm nozzle, a body having means for dispensing water including a collector and means for dispensing syrup including a stem having a syrup passage therein centered within said collector, a syrup check of a resilient material received on said stem at the lower end thereof and including a sleeve portion removably received on said stem and a laterally collapsed lower portion terminating in normally closed thin lips extending substantially along a diametral line of said sleeve and having a length greater than the diameter of said sleeve to define a slit to form an elliptical orifice substantially equal in area to the internal diameter of the sleeve when the lips are separated by outflowing syrup under pressure, said orifice arranged to eject such syrup into the middle ofthe flow of said water in a fan shaped spray, said orifice being substantially centered in the orifice of said nozzle and externally washed by said water.

3. In a draft arm nozzle, a body having means for dispensing water including a collector and means for dispensing syrup including a stem having a syrup passage therein within said collector, a syrup check of a resilient material received on said stem at the lower end thereof and including a sleeve engaging said stem in supported sealed relationship thereon to be externally washed by water passing through the collector, and means including downwardly arched thin lips comprising a valve orifice at the lower end of said sleeve, said lips resiliently closing against each other when syrup is not being dispensed therethrough to drain syrup left therein to the lowest point of the downwardly arched lips to form a drop with insufficient area to support the drop against gravity.

4. In a beverage dispenser for dispensing syrup and water, and having a nozzle including a syrup dispensing stem and a collector, a syrup check of resilient material 0n the end of said stem having a sleeve adapted to fit relatively tightly on said stem and a normally closed mouth at its lower end, said lower end being substantially centered in the orifice of said collector, an adjustable plug in said stem accessible by tool through the lower end of said check, said plug regulating the flow of syrup as de sired, a water and syrup separator cooperating with said syrup check for measuring proportional iiow of syrup and water comprising a syrup flow tube removably secured s on said stem in snugly overlying relationship to said syrup check, saidtube and said collector defining a water outlet orifice, and a water flow tube xedly secured coaxially with said syrup ow tube and having said syrup ow tube coaxially received therein at an upper end thereof, said upper end having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the water outlet orifice and disposed in closely underlying relationship to said water orifice, the lower end of said Water flow tube being separate from the lower end of said syrup fiow tube, whereby syrup and water may be separately measured for the purpose of adjusting said plug to obtain a desired mixture.

5. In a draft arm nozzle, -a body having means for dispensing water including a collector and means for dispensing syrup including a stem having a syrup passage therein disposed within said collector, adjustable means on said stem for controlling the ow of syrup through said stem, a syrup check of resilient material received on said stem at the lower end thereof within the path of flow of water through said collection and including a sleeve engaging said stem in supported sealed relationship, means at its lower end including lips resiliently closing against each other when syrup is not being dispensed therethrough, and open in the direction of flow of the water through said collector said adjustable means being accessible for adjustment within said lips.

6. A draft arm nozzle having a body with means for dispensing water including a collector and means for diS- pensing syrup including a stem having a syrup passage `therein disposed within said collector, said draft arm nozzle comprising means for selectively dispensing water and syrup simultaneously through said collector and stem separately and water alone through said collector around said stem, a syrup check of resilient material received on said stem at the lower end thereof within the path of flow of water through said collector and including a sleeve engaging said stem in supported sealed relationship, means at its lower end including fiat elongated lips externally washed thoroughly by water passing through the collector and resiliently closing against each other when syrup is not being dispensed therethrough, and opening in the direction of flow of the water through said collector when syrup and water are being dispensed simultaneously.

7. A draft arm nozzle having a body with means for dispensing water including a collector arranged to permit a fiow of water therethrough and a stern centered in the flow path of the water having a syrup passage therein supported within said collector, said draft arm nozzle comprising selective means for dispensing syrup through said syrup passage simultaneously with the dispensing of water through the collector, a syrup check of resilient material received on said stem at the lower end thereof and including a sleeve having opposite walls thereof at its lower end v normally contacting each other and defining a pair of normally compressed lips externally washed by said flow of water and opening to form an elongated mouth opening and ejecting a fan shaped spray of syrup in the direction of the fiow of water in said collector when the syrup is being dispensed through said stem simultaneously with the ow of water through the collector around said stem.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,056,986 Stecgynski Oct. 13, 1936 2,216,890 Philipps Oct. 8, 1940 2,545,614 Goldberg Mar. 20, 1951 2,657,952 Mendonca Nov. 3, 1953 

